Start watching for their stories -- because there will soon be a tidal wave of them. Stories like these -- of American Citizens being denied their most basic Constitutional right ...
Voter ID laws often end up restricting seniors, poor
The Modesto Bee, Editorial -- Jan 05, 2012
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Elderly voters can be particularly hard hit by voter ID laws. Not only are they less likely to have driver's licenses -- which they either never had or relinquished -- but many also lack valid birth certificates.
A 93-year-old cleaning lady from Tennessee was unable to obtain a voter ID in that state because she was delivered by a midwife in Alabama in 1918 and never got an official birth certificate.
Another elderly Tennessean was initially denied a voter ID when her birth certificate with her maiden name did not match her married name and she was unable to locate her decades-old marriage license.
And a World War II veteran didn't get his voter ID because he was unable to stand in the long line at Tennessee's DMV office where voter IDs were issued.
All of that thanks to Tennessee's voter ID law, which took effect Jan. 1 -- just in time for the presidential election.
[...]
Millions of American Citizens, go to work every day, cash their paychecks, pay their Taxes, and pay their many Bills,
-- But THAT's not good enough in some states -- that's no longer good enough to prove they are "valid" Citizens.
Millions of other American Citizens, choose not to drive for a wide variety of reasons. Hard as it may be to understand by more mobile citizens, NOT everyone can run down to DMV and get their State-sanctioned ID.
-- Of course THAT doesn't prevent those State, from collecting Taxes from those same "non-existent" Citizens.
Why New Photo ID Laws Mean Some Won't Vote
by Corey Dade, NPR.org -- Jan 28, 2012
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"I get that all the time: 'What's the big deal? I just got my driver's license renewed, it took like five seconds,'" says Larry Norden, acting director of the Democracy Program at the Brennan Center for Justice at New York University, which opposes these laws. "Frankly, that's why these laws have been so successful, because 89 percent of the population does have photo IDs."
That leaves another 3.2 million Americans who don't possess a government-issued picture ID, according to a recent study co-authored by Norden.
In 2008, the Supreme Court upheld a voter-identification law in Indiana, saying that requiring voters to produce photo identification is not unconstitutional and affirming that states have a "valid interest" in improving election procedures and deterring fraud.
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That typically means driver's licenses. But many seniors and many poor people don't drive. In big cities, many minorities rely on public transit. And many young adults, especially those in college, don't yet have licenses.
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Like I said these new Photo-Voter Id laws will impact millions -- especially Seniors ... many of whom were brave enough to fight in foreign wars for their Country -- but NOW, are no longer "trust-worthy" enough to cast their Votes, in their Country's own elections.
How's that for justice? A grateful nation, honors its "Greatest Generation".
Thankfully in at least one state, these once-respected citizens are getting some help from some powerful advocates ...
AARP Stands Up Against Voter ID Law
NBC29.com -- Jan 30, 2012 -- [Link has a Video News Report]
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The AARP is sending a warning to state lawmakers [VA] about legislation requiring people show a photo ID to vote. If passed, they say it could a mean a lot of seniors will choose to stay home instead.
The bill in question has passed the House Privileges and Elections Committee, and is now on its way to the House floor. But the AARP says as many as 18 percent of all people over the age of 65 don't have an ID.
[...]
The bill doesn't technically keep anyone from voting. Without photo ID, you can still cast a provisional ballot. However, the AARP says those aren't normally counted right away and the bill sends a negative message to a powerful block of voters.
These new Photo-Voter Id laws are a classic case of conservative overreach. Studies show that cases of Voter Fraud are very rare, and usually the result of 'change of address' problems, and other such clerical errors.
There is no scourge of James O'Keffe's pretending to be Johnny O'Leaf -- despite what ALEC may claim. In those very rare cases of intentional Voter Fraud -- prosecute the criminals
-- Don't Disenfranchise Millions of Citizens to "fix a non-existent problem" ... punish the Lawbreakers instead. When and if laws are broken.
Let Tax-paying Citizens vote. Let Veterans Vote. Let Students Vote. Let the Homeless Vote. Let Seniors Vote.
That is how it's supposed to work in a real Democracy.